Indigenous-Education-Review_DRAFT

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Review of Indigenous Education in the Northern Territory Bruce Wilson Silburn et al, in a major review of the literature on English language acquisition and instructional approaches, offer insights into the complexity of early language learning in the kinds of contexts typical of the Northern Territory. The paper notes that better levels of English on entry to school lead to better educational outcomes: This…highlights the importance of promoting early language and cognitive stimulation for all children from birth, through infancy and through their pre‐ and primary school years (Silburn et al 2011: 47). This suggests that programs including components designed to stimulate and support language learning should be in place well before the commencement of school. Those programs should include the learning of English: …the optimum time for children to commence second language learning is the same time they begin learning their first language ….[E]xposure to two languages from early in childhood has cognitive, social and educational benefits (ibid.). One of the key criteria for effective early learning programs is parent engagement. The account of the Smarter Schools National Partnership makes clear that: We know from research, and we know from practice, that when schools and families do work together in partnership, children perform better academically, they stay in school longer, and they enjoy their schooling (DEEWR, 2011). In addition to early language learning and parent engagement, sustained effort and close integration between agencies and programs is also essential. The AMA report referred to earlier (AMA, 2013), which indicates the extent of inter‐generational disadvantage refers to the need for evidence based programs to reduce adverse health and developmental outcomes ‘to break the cycle of inter‐generational disadvantage’ (AMA, 2013: 3). DRAFT Integrating services continues to be a priority to ensure young children and families are engaged in early learning and care programs. Key initiatives include Families as First Teachers, mobile pre‐schools and integrated service delivery through the Child and Family Centre initiative. The Northern Territory Government will need to work closely with the Australian Government to streamline and guarantee targeted and ongoing funding if the success of these early years programs is to be sustained. Families as First Teachers One major component of the Territory’s strategy is the Families as First Teachers (FaFT) program. It has been in place since June 2009 when it was established in six very remote communities. It has now been established in the focus towns. In 2011 a mobile FaFT program was established to provide access to 24 very remote communities in the Central Australia, Barkly and Katherine regions. (DECS 2013: 9; Menzies 2013: 55). In 2012 the program engaged 2455 children and 2294 adults in the 45 communities it serves. Given that there are fewer than 6000 Indigenous children aged 0‐4 in the Northern Territory (ABS, 2011), and that the program is only available in very remote settings, this suggests that 49
Review of Indigenous Education in the Northern Territory Bruce Wilson approximately 70% of eligible children in serviced communities are involved to some extent in FaFT. FaFT is designed ‘to improve developmental outcomes for remote Indigenous children’ (DECS, 2013C: 9). It aims to improve the school readiness of children (and their parents) by providing educational activities in an environment that is culturally responsive. The program has a central goal to improve parent engagement both as a goal in itself and to support child development. The Program Handbook makes the intention clear: The FaFT program builds family knowledge of child development…. Key contributing factors to promote optimum development, such as parental knowledge of early childhood learning and development, parenting skills, health, hygiene, nutrition and family functioning, are addressed (DECS, 2013C: 10). The focus on the engagement of parents is supported by data on the relationship between maternal educational attainment and student NAPLAN scores. Hancock et al show that higher levels of maternal education are directly correlated with higher NAPLAN scores, and the lower the level of attendance of the child, the greater the impact of maternal education. This suggests that keeping young mothers engaged in education, and/or in educational activity with their children might lead to improvement in student outcomes (Hancock et al, 2013). Systematic, conscious parental engagement and capacity building would appear to be highly successful with most of the FaFT services having a high level of attendance and community ownership. FaFT has a well‐developed theoretical framework and is strongly based in research. There is good evidence that the approaches that make up the program have been effective in other settings. It involves four broad elements: DRAFT early childhood learning, which includes the Abecedarian approach (notably conversational reading and learning games, many of which have now been adapted for the Northern Territory environment), a focus on adult‐child interactions, adult learning opportunities, support and routines focused on nutrition and health and range of other activities; parent capacity building, partly delivered through the early learning components, and partly through workshops, coaching and family support for parents; literacy and numeracy at home, providing resources, including picture books, games and coaching to parents for use in the home; and transition to school, including activities adapted to local circumstances and designed to support school readiness in children and facilitate a smooth transition for children into pre‐school by working with families and schools (DECS 2013: 20‐29). The program has also recently completed, in collaboration with Northern Territory Libraries, a baby board book project which culminated in the development of bilingual baby books in six remote communities. This project served multiple purposes beyond the final product as it explored ways that people interact with babies in the contemporary world, and reflected on similarities and differences with traditional practices. 50
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Indigenous-Education-Review_DRAFT

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